Riding with the wind?
 

Does anybody else do it?

I ride for only two reasons: enjoyment and to stay healthy. Take away one or the other reason, and I’d probably be a slug, content to spend all my time behind my computer the way I did for a lot of years before serious health issues forced me to exercise and I chose biking over the numerous other less appealing options.

But I’m 75, and the daily rides can sometimes be awfully strenuous if I’m riding into heavy winds (and 2014 has been a very windy year so far). Since bucking a strong headwind reduces the fun of riding for me, I’ve had a tendency this spring to wimp out and plan most of my routes with the wind behind me all the way.

Fortunately, I’ve got a very cooperative wife who is happy to drop me off at my starting point and pick me up at the end of my run. The bike trails in my area provide enough variety that I can ride any distance up to about 25 miles with the wind at my back. By bucking the wind for relatively short distances, I can still enjoy even longer rides if I choose to do so.

Yesterday, I planned a relatively easy 20-mile evening ride that would end about two miles from my home, but when the wind got stronger and changed directions so that I was riding directly into it, I opted to phone my wife for an earlier pick-up at 15 miles. I might be lazy, but I’m also flexible!

Congratulations on being 50+ for a quarter-century. That looks like a big ole comfy ride-me bike. Does the riding position preclude installing drop bars?

My experience is that wind is not generally consistent. It'll be a headwind for a while, then a quartering-headwind, and, just when you get within a mile of your house, a glorious tailwind.

Arghh! I've been there when the wind feels like hitting a wall in the sky. There's nothing else to do except minimize your frontal area and bear it -or- take the next turnoff where the wind's more favorable and see where it leads. (Valet service comes in handy for wandering, too. By the way, she's probably not all that cooperative. She's just tolerant.)

No matter which direction I go, I seem to break wind when I ride.

Keeps people off your wheel.

If riding in the wind makes you more tired, take more breaks or longer breaks each time. There is no shame in taking more breaks. If your goal for the day is 20 miles, for example, do what you need to do to accomplish that before you phone your wife to pick you up. At the same time though, don't push yourself too hard since you're 75 (and still kicking ass). I don't know your current medical history but there are some where it may put you in the danger zone if you push yourself too hard.

I always thought the first rule of riding is to ride into the wind first... SO you 'could' take your time riding into the wind with the needed rest stops then have a fun ride home. Of course the key is take your time....or maybe the key is have fun and that is why you do what you do.

What a nice wife!

More often than not, when I am riding my wife is sitting on the back of our tandem and is not available to pick me up. Although she does help power me into the wind as needed.

I did this last week. First went to a friend's house, then continued to a restaurant for dinner with him and my wife. It was only about 5 miles but the wind was horrific. My wife asked if I wanted to ride home in her SUV and I was all "Now way! I EARNED the ride back!" And it was great.

There are a million reasons you're riding slow and struggling, but there's only one when you feel good and go fast: it's a tailwind.

I think I'd just get spoiled.
I ride when it's hot or cold and wish it was nicer. But you know, if it was 72 degrees year round, then one day it was 73 degrees, we'd all complain about the heat. If we had strong tailwinds year round, then one day, it was just a weak tailwind, we'd complain about that. So I think really, you have to take the bad with the good, or you wouldn't appreciate the good after a while.

I've done quite a number of short (few days to a week) tours along the Pacific coast and they've almost all been north to south with another mode of transportation back (or at least riding inland before heading back north). The wind on the coast is quite consistent and can be formidable.

I usually just ride into the wind first, so I can coast home, but of course yesterday the wind shifted at lunch time, and I had it in my face all day.
The way it goes some days.

I just try to stay patient and keep speed and rests within my abilities, and not get impatient about getting there too quickly.

More power to you if you can arrange this. Nothing wrong with it and it's not any different that the mtn bikers who use ski lifts and ride down, or those who use various means to get high on mtn slopes and ride 20-50 miles back down.

BTW- I'd say your wife's a real keeper, but I figure you've known that for decades.

Pack and drink water. The wind dehydrates. The panhandle of Texas has nasty headwinds, whose gusts will try to stop you in your tracks at their worst....TG I was in my 20s and 30s pushing those.

One Wednesday back in early April I had my wife drop me off 15 or 20 miles from home and rode home with the wind. We had three or 4 straight days of east wind anywhere from 15 to 30mph............got tired of it after Monday and Tuesday and rode home with the wind that Wednesday afternoon. Does wonders for your average speed for that day!! Normally though I will ride into the wind going out and with it coming home. Lately have been taking off about 6:00 AM before the wind gets a chance to really start.

I love a good headwind! Oh, it's lots of extra work and it slows me down, neither of which make for a good ride; but OTOH, it slows everyone else down even more and it makes me look like SUPERMAN!!! Getting a more aero ride makes a big difference in your attitude about winds, I guess.

My wife rides with me or I would definitely take advantage of such an opportunity. I fondly remember some long, high speed downwinders on a windsurfer many years ago. My son and I coordinated them by pre-positioning a return vehicle at a convenient downwind beach.

Thinking an electric assist might be a good way for you to go, unless of course the wind never shift's on you, getting the exercise is important, having a mental image of always riding into the wind isn't going to help getting exercise, just a suggestion.
I always plan my rides according to the wind, seems one out of every one hundred the wind is at my back the whole way;)

Light breezes are the ones that get to me.

More than once I've started an out and back ride thinking I was in better condition than I'd thought. WRONG! Turned around and fought head winds all the way back to my car. I hate seeing single digits on my speedometer when I'm
on a flat road.

In our area you never know what the wind will do. I live in a very hilly region with lakes and nearby Lake Michigan which has wind swirling around from any direction. To escape this dynamic I have to get out on the open road or putter through neighborhoods in town.

Wind is just something you learn to deal with. I have the realWind app that gives me instant and reliable data for planning.

A strong headwind is great for training. Where else can you stuff 30 miles into a 20 mile ride?

I usually start the ride into wind if possible, the key for me is to cover up my bike computer and just take what ever speed I can get with my usual effort. Yep I am 70 years old and still not very bright so I have to trick myself.

+1

Keep riding in any direction you want :thumb:

I can't do that. But when the wind is right I will plan a ride so I get a good run with the wind along the MUP.

IMO, the worst wind is one going the same direction at the same speed as I'm climbing on a hot day. It seems to happen more regularly than I'd expect based on chance alone, likely due to local heating by the sun causing the air to move up hill on an otherwise calm or low wind day.

JATO (Jet Assisted Take Off)

On my road bike I drop down to the drops, on my commuter I stretch out onto the aero bar. It makes a huge difference for me. I have also called the wife a couple of times, but am careful not to use the term "SAG" or "SAG-wagon".